Trials of an Unlikely Friendship
by soimobsessive-m
Summary: How did Severus and Hermione become friends? and how can they stay that way? Will they even want too?
1. Prologue

**Trials of an Unlikely Friendship**

_Chapter 1: Tell Me Again, Hermione.  
_

* * *

As the last charmed bell rang, and the class was dismissed, a sleek and _smooth_ voice rang out,

" Miss Granger, please stay behind."

Hermione concealed her satisfaction as well as she could, as the Gryffindor 7th years gave her sympathetic looks, Ron and Harry rolled their eyes in her direction and walked out the dungeon doors.

" Yes, Professor? You wished to see me?" Hermione asked sweetly.

Snape just rolled his eyes and rose out of his chair, and walked around to the front of his desk, leaning back on it and crossing his arms in front of him.

Hermione leaned back on the front row of desks and mimicked Snape's pose.

He gave a little smirk. How had this little minx made such a fast and furious impact on his life? It still came as quite a shock how she intruded and then made herself comfortable in his lonely life.

" Hermione, your paper wasn't exemplary as usual."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, such an imitation of Severus. It made him feel proud, and nervous at the same time.

"My paper wasn't exemplary? What does that mean?" She shook her head in disbelief.

" It means it was 5 feet instead of the 4 feet 8 inches I asked, you usually give me at least an extra foot" he replied, rather dryly.

Hermione gave a small tinkling laugh at his response. It was true, she had left out a couple of inches she would usually have included.

Severus Snape just frowned at her and asked,

"Why are you still here?"

Hermione stopped her laughing, and looking at him oddly, she asked

"Did you not just ask me to stay behind after class?"

Severus shook his head, and waved his hand.

" Not what I meant. How come you haven't run away from the cold bat of the dungeons yet?"

Hermione's eyes creased into relaxation and compassion. How could this brilliant and intelligent man be so insecure?

" Severus, I'm guessing I'm still allowed to call you that after this summer? Why haven't I left you? _Because_ of this summer. Amazingly, you showed me a side of yourself no one really thought existed. Imagine your parents are put into a protective muggle home because of the friends _you_ chose. Because of _your_ intelligence. Because of what _you...are_."

Hermione frowned, thinking back on the summer, and even now. It was so hard to be a witch. The brightest witch of her time. The best friend of Harry Potter, in fact.

"Professor, I could of, and still could be, the reason for my parents demise. How do you live with the fact that you killed your parents? all because of what you are. Sir, Severus, if it wasn't for you...I don't think I'd be back at Hogwarts this year. You're the one who helped me...not the other way around. Remember that."

Hermione and Severus knew the classes for the day were finished. With a backward glance, he swept towards the doors leading to his personal chambers. Hermione smiled, and walked behind him. Entering the rooms, Hermione took a seat in his small living area. Snape walked over to the tray on the desk, and poured himself a glass of Brandy. Motioning to the tray, he asked a silent question.

Hermione nodded and asked politely for some tea.

Severus just nodded and charmed a pot of tea to start to warm. When he was done, he handed it over to Hermione and sat directly opposite of her, in his favorite chair. Settling in, he reflected for a moment, then said,

" Tell me how it began, how this odd friendship of ours suddenly awoke. I'd be interested to hear your version."

Without looking at him, she nodded. Looking down in her freshly poured cup, as if to find the meaning of life, she squinted. Ah, where to begin? This summer, obviously, but when this summer? Grimmauld Place, obviously. Hermione looked up and made eye contact with Severus Snape, not a feat many people could do lightly. Hermione knew though, she could. She could drown in his eyes full of regret, and sorrow. Something her eyes seemed to reflect these long days.

" Let us start at the beginning, shall we?"

And with that, Hermione tucked her legs underneath her, and nursed her tea. Severus sat back, content and happy. Something only Hermione could make him feel. Happy. Shaking his head, as if to get rid of the thoughts, he focused on Hermione as she started to speak in slow, careful tones.

* * *

I just redid this chapter, after 1 year and some odd! The next chapter in this series is..well..it's coming. 


	2. A Gift of Priceless Beauty

**_Chapter 2: A Gift of Priceless Beauty_**

* * *

Harry walked into Grimmauld Place and placed his suitcase on the floor. Almost at once he was assaulted by a flash of red hair. Molly had her arms around him, the twins were talking incessantly, and Ginny hung back, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Harry was home. That's all anyone needed to know.

Ron came bounding down the stairs and clapped Harry on the back,

"Harry, mate! We've missed you already. Just in time though to come to with us to Diagon Alley!" Ron had an insanely large grin that almost matched Harry's. Ah. The feeling of being loved, but someone was missing,

"Ron, where's Hermione?"

Just as he said that, he could hear footsteps clattering down the stairs, and a bushy haired Hermione followed. Before she had a chance to run into his arms though, a whirlwind of wings blocked her view.

"BOLLOCKS, RON, GET THAT BLASTED OWL AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed as Pig zoomed around her hair, occasionally letting a loose tendril get caught in his claws. All the children stifled giggles while Molly looked sort of aghast at the language Hermione had just used.

With a quick high-pitched whistle, Pig landed on Ron's shoulders. Hermione smoothed out her hair, and blushing beet red, walked calmly as she could to Harry. Oh hell, she thought, as she ran into his arms, making him stumble back a step from the force.

Harry hugged Hermione tight, and as soon as she pulled back, he could see the little tear drops on her face. Harry wiped them away, and then started laughing as Ron and Hermione dragged him onto the couch, and told him how their vacation had been without him.

Supposedly it was tragic, boring, lonely, no fun. He smiled at them. He hadn't felt this content since...Sirius died.

His smile faded, and as Ron and Hermione noticed this, they each placed a hand on his leg and shoulder. They understood it was going to be a tough year, but they had hoped that maybe he'd be happier than they had expected.

Not knowing what to do, Hermione took both of his hands in hers and kissed them lightly, bringing Harry back to earth. He gave her a weak grin, and motioned to his bags. Ron pulled Harry off the couch and loaded him up with luggage; Ron grabbed some, as did Hermione and they all walked upstairs together to the 3rd room on the left. Harry and Ron's room. Dumping everything on the single bed in the corner, Ron reached underneath his bed and handed a wrapped package to Harry,

"This was one present I wasn't going to send to your aunts and uncles house. Here you go, Harry...From me and 'Mione."

Harry tore up the wrapping and found a shimmering black cloak laying there. He looked up at them in question and Hermione, taking this as a sign, said

"We charmed it Harry. In it are 5 very useful charms that we have been practicing since the beginning of summer. It has a protection spell, a disillusionment charm, a tracking charm, a small but useful built in Audio absque sonitus charm and a portkey to lead back to the common room at Hogwarts whenever needed."

Ron took the time to explain the spells,

"The protection spell is very handy, but it's something we have to explain to you. The Final Battle is coming; we all know it is. It's just a matter of time. This particular protection spell uses our, mine and Hermione's energy, combined with yours. So, whenever you are in trouble and feel yourself starting to get tired, the cloak will tap into our energy supply and keep giving you energy.

The disillusionment charm, well, it's like your invisibility cloak.

Tracking charm is for Hermione's benefit. We'd like to know where you are just in case anything happens to you.

And as for the Audio absque sonitus charm that is a charm that allows us to talk with you telepathically. It sounds unreasonable, but we've been studying dark texts and restricted materials for the last month, and we can assure you it works.

The portkey is for whenever you are in trouble. Just come back to safe ground, my friend."

Harry looked as if he was going to interrupt a few times, but now, didn't know what to say,

"Wow. I can't believe you did this all for me. I..wait..I can't tap into your energy supply. What if you need it?"

Hermione scooted past Harry and reached underneath the bed and pulled out two identical cloaks,

"We have the same cloaks, same spells. We all tap off each other in this process. But Harry, threes one thing me and Ron have discussed quite thoroughly. In the battles between Voldemort and yourself, I have decided to step out. Well not exactly, but..."

She hesitated... How to phrase this. Harry looked quite upset and confused.."step out?"

"You are going to tap into my energy source. I am going to be in a safe place at the time, and whenever you get weak and need energy...you are going to draw it from me--

"No! I'm not drawing anything from you! Don't even think that! I need you by my side. What if we need to go through a maze like the first year? What do I do then?"

Hermione quietly answered,

"Use the audio charm. Ask me anything, but take my body energy, my mind will stay clear. It is the only solution. And if it makes you feel any better, when I'm in trouble, I'm drawing energy off of you."

Harry was stunned. No other word could describe it. It was a genius plan, a bit foolish, but quite smart in the long run. The little kinks would be worked out in time.

Hermione smiled sadly, knowing that she'd have to lie submissively on a bed while a war was being raged around her, but everything came at a cost.

Harry gathered his two friends up in his arms and hugged them as a brother would hug his siblings. Hermione felt such content in that moment that a sob racked her body. Ron clung to the two, loving them as he loved his own family. In a way it was such a sad moment, each knowing that their world could possibly be ripped apart at any given time.

With one last squeeze, Hermione stepped back shakily. Rubbing her quickly swelling eyes with her hand, she weakly smiled and walked out of the room, across the hall, into her own room. Ron and Harry smiled sadly at each other and continued the unpacking of Harry's personal items.

* * *

Hopefully no-one has given up on me yet. I plan to work harder to update fan fictions that seem to have the better response. I seem to take too much on, about 5 fics and then leave them all hanging. I plan not to do that with this one!

Thanks for understanding.

I also understand that there is no Snape in this chapter! Don't worry. Appearance for him comes next chapter.

_NB:_ Audio absque sonitus …My latin is very very bad. I am hoping this means(relatively) To Hear Without Sound.


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